Wootton St Andrew's CofE Primary School

Wootton St Andrew’s CofE Primary School 6 High Street, Wootton, Lincolnshire DN39 6SG

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

This is a good school

 ‘My child loves coming to school’ and ‘This is a very happy school with a strong Christian ethos’ are comments typical of the many parents who made their views known to the inspector.  Pupils say that they feel very safe in school and well looked after.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are very proud of their school.  Relationships are first rate throughout the school. Every pupil is very much known as an individual.  Pupils show a keen desire to succeed. Their impressive attitudes to learning are a key reason behind their improving rates of progress.  The headteacher is passionate about improving the school and is well supported by a very committed and hardworking staff team.  The school has gone from strength to strength since the previous inspection.  Outcomes for pupils have improved in every subject. The early years provision is outstanding. Children get off to a flying start in their learning.

p.1

This is a good school

They clearly love many of the interesting and challenging activities on offer.  Pupils go on to make good progress throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 because of the good quality of teaching.  Governors are skilled and very supportive. They are closely involved in helping the school improve. They visit regularly and know what is going on.  Pupils enjoy their lessons. They have also had a marked degree of success in a range of sporting competitions, such as badminton and swimming.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some pupils could make even better progress, particularly in mathematics.  The most-able pupils are not always challenged enough. They sometimes find their work is too easy.  Procedures for checking how well pupils are doing with their work lack rigour. This makes it difficult for leaders, staff and governors to check that all pupils are reaching the standards they are capable of.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Help pupils to make even better progress in all subjects, but particularly in mathematics and among the most-able pupils, by ensuring: – pupils’ work is challenging – teachers and teaching assistants know how to foster an in-depth understanding of new skills and concepts.  Refine systems for checking pupils’ progress, so that leaders, staff and governors can quickly identify any pupil who could do even better and so that they regularly check that pupils’ work improves.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Wootton St Andrew’s is very highly regarded by parents. Parents say that they value the strong Christian ethos, which underpins all the school does.  Strong leadership has been the key factor behind the significant improvements made. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and she has successfully harnessed the support of pupils, staff, parents and governors alike.  Staff work together as a strong cohesive team. They readily support each other and take on the lead of aspects of the school’s work.  Performance management procedures are strongly focused on the key school priorities. The school is successfully fostering the leadership potential of staff members through additional training opportunities.  The school has improved markedly since the previous inspection. This is reflected in the significant rise in the number on roll.  The leadership of teaching and learning is strong. The headteacher regularly checks the quality of

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

teaching and learning in lessons and has successfully improved teaching during a period with a number of staffing changes.  The school keeps a careful check on how much progress pupils make and is particularly good at identifying pupils who are at risk of falling behind with their work, so additional support can be provided to help pupils catch up with others in the class. However, leaders acknowledge the need to refine their procedures further, so they can more quickly identify if any of the school’s brightest pupils could do even better.  The school’s rich curriculum engages pupils and they enjoy learning. They benefit from specialist teaching of modern foreign languages, specialist sports coaching and support from a professional musician in the choir. It is no surprise that the school has received a range of related awards, such as the Music Quality Mark and a Games Mark Award. Pupils enjoy an impressive range of clubs and extra-curricular activities.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school prepares pupils very well for life in modern Britain. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. The school has a long-standing connection with a school in Uganda. For example, they send each other letters and, after discovering a shared passion for football, Wootton pupils sent some football kits to Uganda and pupils from Uganda sent a football they had made in return.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure disadvantaged pupils can access all the school has to offer. It has been used to provide both academic and pastoral support. As a result, disadvantaged pupils generally do as well as other pupils relative to their starting points.  The physical education (PE) and sport premium has been used to great effect. Pupils participate in a wide range of sporting activities. They play at county level in some sports and also have had the chance to

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

have a go at less familiar sports, such as archery. The school hall is frequently being used as a venue for one sort of sporting activity or another.  Safeguarding is given high priority. Procedures are effective. They are adhered to by staff and checked regularly by governors. Leaders ensure staff receive up-to-date training. Parents who made their views known to the inspector support the view that pupils are safe and well looked after.  The local authority and diocese have provided some effective support since the previous inspection. They have particularly helped to improve the accuracy of the school’s own self-evaluation, by providing an external validation of the school’s work.  The governance of the school – Governors are very committed to the school and are well informed. They are knowledgeable about pupil outcomes and the quality of teaching. They are aware that standards can fluctuate over time

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

because some year group sizes are very small. – The school benefits from a wide range of professional expertise and community and church connections represented on the governing body. – Governors have the necessary skills to support the school but also to hold school leaders to account. For example, they are regularly involved in the school’s day-to-day life and help out at special events, such as sports day. They have also explored how they can best promote and foster high levels of inter-faith empathy and understanding among the school’s pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. The headteacher has a clear view of the quality of teaching. She has taken stringent steps to improve classroom practice and as a result teaching is now much more consistent. It is typically good and is sometimes better.  The vast majority of parents consider that teaching in school is good. They typically comment that their children are ‘coming on in leaps and bounds’.  Pupils say that teachers and teaching assistants ‘make lessons fun’. Staff endeavour to plan lessons which interest and engage pupils. This motivates pupils to work hard and try their best. For example, pupils in Key Stage 2 were fascinated as they designed models to show that magnetism does not need contact to work. In Key Stage 1, pupils thoroughly enjoyed writing a story about the different lands they could travel to with a ‘magic ticket’!  Classrooms and communal areas are attractive and well organised. Every available space is used to help

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils learn.  Relationships throughout school are excellent. Pupils are keen to do well and they listen respectfully to adults in school.  Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and often help pupils to grow in confidence in their own abilities.  There is a consistent approach to marking. Most work is well marked and the feedback provided usually helps pupils to improve their work.  A scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks shows that, while most pupils make good progress, expectations are not always high enough, especially regarding the brightest pupils in school.  Teachers generally use assessment information well to pitch work at a good level of challenge. Throughout a lesson, they often check what pupils know, understand and can do and sometimes move them on to more thought-provoking work when they are ready. However, at times the most-able pupils are given work that is too easy or spend too long practising skills they can do already.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers generally have good subject knowledge. However, they do not always provide learning activities that will help foster an in-depth understanding of new skills and concepts, particularly in mathematics.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  The vast majority of parents confirm that this is a school that really does go the extra mile in its care for its pupils. All the parents who responded to the school’s own questionnaire say that their children are safe in school. They confirm that not only does the school provide excellent care for its pupils, but often also for their families as well.  Pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is given high priority. All staff are fully trained in the school’s safeguarding procedures.  The emphasis is very much on helping to provide pupils with the personal, social and emotional skills for life, to help them grow into well-rounded individuals.  Pupils who made their views known to an inspector say that they feel safe in school. They say that they would find someone in school to help if they had any worries or concerns at all.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They can clearly explain how to stay safe when using the internet and other electronic devices.  Pupils say that bullying is rare. However, pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying can take and they know what they could do if they thought they were being bullied. Adults in school get to know each pupil extremely well and keep a sharp check on pupils’ well-being to ensure that no trends develop.  Systematic checks are carried out on new members of staff and regular visitors to school.  Attendance is typically above average and reflects pupils’ enjoyment of school life.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are extremely polite and well mannered. Their conduct is typically exemplary.  Pupils agree that behaviour is very good in school almost all of the time.  The vast majority of parents who made their views known to the inspector consider that behaviour is very impressive in school. Parents typically comment: ‘The school is like a family and the older children look after the younger ones. Children mix easily with all ages and work and play very well together.’  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development flourishes at Wootton. Pupils are very thoughtful, reflective and caring.  Pupils express their own views with confidence but also listen respectfully to the views and ideas of others. Pupils try their best to ‘treat others as they would like to be treated’. For example, pupils try and make sure no one is left out of games at breaktimes.

p.4

Behaviour

 Pupils’ extremely positive attitudes to learning are a key factor behind their accelerating rates of progress. A scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks from every class and observations of learning in the classrooms confirm that pupils typically work very hard and strive to do their best.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

 Comparisons in the standards attained from year to year are difficult because of the small number of pupils in most year groups. Results in national tests and assessments tend to fluctuate. This is primarily due to the specific characteristics of pupils in some classes or because a significant number of pupils join the school in upper Key Stage 2.  The work in pupils’ books and the school’s own records show that pupils’ progress is good in most year groups and in different subjects across the curriculum. Many more pupils are now making better than expected progress, relative to their individual starting points.  Since the previous inspection, there have been very few disadvantaged pupils in some year groups and so this makes comparisons in the standards attained by disadvantaged pupils from year to year difficult. However, the school checks that pupils are not falling behind and appropriate support is usually provided

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

to help pupils catch up.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability generally make good rates of progress from their starting points, as do pupils whose standard of work is below that found typically for their age. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported, both when working in the classroom and when they are given additional support to help them catch up with their learning. Staff are skilled at adapting the approach used to suit a particular pupil.  The number of pupils achieving the higher levels in reading, in writing and in mathematics has varied since the previous inspection. For some year groups, this has been above the national picture and in others below. Some of the most-able pupils in each class are now making faster progress because more is expected of them. However, they are not always challenged enough and so they can fail to reach their full potential.  The numbers of pupils who achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

they make) test typically match the national level and are often much better. Indeed, in 2014 every pupil reached the expected standard.  Music is a key strength in school. Over half of the school sing in the school choir. They benefit from the support and guidance of a professional musician and have had great success in singing competitions and events. They also achieve well in science and creative activities.  All in all, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.5

Early years provision is outstanding

 Many parents say that they appreciate the ‘wonderful start to school life’ provided by the early years and say that starting school is ‘like joining an extended family’.  The early years provides a highly stimulating environment, which fosters high levels of independence and a real love of learning.  The quality of teaching is typically excellent. Activities are very much tailored around the children’s interests. This motivates them to work hard, even when their activities are more challenging.  During the inspection, children were thoroughly absorbed in the activities provided. They are becoming resilient learners as they stay focused on a particular activity for an extended period of time. While children are learning, adults skilfully intervene to extend children’s language skills and encourage them to think hard and learn to solve problems for themselves. For example, after drawing some detailed pictures

p.5

Early years provision is outstanding

of a ‘Gruffalo’, some children worked hard to work out how to write their own labels. Other pupils built a wall in their ‘medical centre’ and then thought hard about how they could strengthen their wall so it wouldn’t fall down. Other pupils discussed how they could mix the colours orange and brown while carefully painting some pictures.  Children’s starting points when they enter the school vary from year to year due to the differing make-ups of some small year groups. In some year groups, children’s knowledge and skills are below typical for their age in most areas of learning, particularly so when the class has a relatively large proportion of children with special educational needs.  Regardless of their starting points, most children now make rapid progress in the early years.  The numbers of children reaching levels that are broadly typical for their age have risen significantly since the previous inspection. In 2015, it was better than that found nationally.

p.6

Early years provision is outstanding

 Staff keep a sharp check on pupils’ progress. Children’s achievements are warmly celebrated by everyone.  Partnerships with parents, providers and other agencies are very strong. Parents are kept very well informed about how well their child is doing.  Leaders ensure children are safe. Relationships are very positive and the setting is an extremely well- organised setting. This helps children quickly settle in when they start school. Their behaviour is excellent and they develop very positive attitudes to learning.  Leadership of the early years is very strong. Leaders are enthusiastic and are determined to provide the very best start to school life for their children. However, this is not a setting that rests on its laurels. Staff are continually seeking ways to improve the provision still further. For example, they noticed that some boys were not doing quite as well as girls and so ensured they incorporated activities to interest boys.

p.6

Early years provision is outstanding

This has ensured that boys and girls alike come on in leaps and bounds.  It is no surprise that the setting is recognised as a centre of excellence for other professionals to visit.

p.6

School details

Unique reference number 118038 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 10002089

p.7

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.7

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 77 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Revd Alan Wright Headteacher Mrs Ruth Zaitschenko Telephone number 01469 588361 Website www.woottonstandrews.co.uk Email address head.wootton@northlinc.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 October 2013

p.7

Information about this school

 Wootton St Andrew’s CofE Primary is much smaller than the average-sized primary. Some year groups are very small and typically comprise five or six pupils.  The number on roll has grown markedly since the previous inspection. A significant number of pupils join the school in upper Key Stage 2.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those who have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

p.7

Information about this school

 The school works in collaboration with a number of local schools.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in a range of subjects and heard pupils read.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, in the playground and around school.  Discussions were held with pupils, senior leaders, staff, governors and a representative from the local authority.  A number of documents were examined. They included the school’s view of its own performance, records of the checks made on teaching and learning, the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through informal discussion with parents, analysis of the school’s own questionnaire to parents and the 11 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire (Parent View).  Staff responses to the inspection questionnaire about the school were also scrutinised.

p.8

Inspection team

Fiona Gowers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.9

Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.9

Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.9

Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9